Definition of Papal
The adjective "papal" refers to anything pertaining to the Pope, the highest religious leader in the Roman Catholic Church. The Pope resides in the Vatican in Rome, Italy, and retains the position until he retires or dies.
Other People Are Reading
-
Origin
-
The term "papal" originated between 1350 to 1400 A.D. and is from Old French. It was derived from the Medieval Latin word, "papalis."
Secondary Definition
-
Pronounced pey'-puhl, "papal" can also mean "of, or relating to, the Roman Catholic Church."
-
Other Forms
-
Papal can also be used as the adverb, papally.
Common Usage
-
The term, "papal" is commonly used with the words "bull," "states," "supremacy," "blessing" and "infallibility."
Interesting Fact
-
A papal bull is not an animal but rather an instrument or document of the Catholic Church or royalty. It is so named after the seal, called a "bulla," which authenticated the document.
-
References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of juanRubiano
